The course starts by preparing you with tools to learn the demographics and health status of people in your community. Together we will examine issues of literacy, health literacy, and the health information needs of special populations. By understanding the needs of your own community and the information-seeking behaviors of users, you will be prepared with the right tools and resources even before the questions are asked.

From there we will explore authoritative resources for just about any type of health question, apps and mobile health technologies, how people are using social networking for health questions, and how to create fun and informative health-related programming for different age groups and special populations in your community. Participants will learn about core print reference and other materials for library collections, quality web resources beyond the major sites, and tips for helping library users evaluate health materials they encounter on their own.
A new topic area each week will expand on familiar concepts and provide exposure to new concepts, techniques and resources to take your skills to the next level. At the beginning of Week 2, participants will start to explore topic areas for a final project of their choosing; projects relevant to the attendee’s workplace are encouraged!

This course is also offered as a 4-hour in-person class.

Objectives

Learners will be able to:

Explain the concept of consumer health and how the library helps to build healthy communities

Find and utilize community health data to understand and respond to the most pressing health issues in the community

Guidance about using mobile technologies and social networking sites for health information

Week 4: The Library as a Healthy Place

Designing health programs of interest to users in the community

Effective promotion and marketing of health information services

How partnerships can enhance services and extend the reach of the library

Incorporating workplace wellness into your library

Time Required

To complete all the course requirements for the MLA CE credit, participants can expect to spend on average 3-4 hours per week. Participants may also choose to work towards a certificate of completion without CE credit, which would require about 2-3 hours per week. Each week’s module contains readings and selected content, discussion questions, and assignments. You can choose the options most relevant to your work and interests. Although you can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night, it is recommended that you complete each week’s work within that week to stay in sync with other learners. An extra “catch-up” week will be available at the end of the course, in case you need extra time to finish all the activities and course requirements.